A RESOLUTION TO AMEND SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 23 (1997 REGULAR SESSION) TO CONTINUE THE AUTHORITY OF THE SENATE TASK FORCE ON DRUG ENFORCEMENT TO STUDY DRUG ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS IN THIS STATE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

(1) There is hereby created a Senate Task Force on Drug Enforcement to study drug enforcement efforts in Mississippi. The task force will be composed of the following members: the Chairmen of the Senate Committees on Juvenile Justice, Judiciary, Public Health and Corrections, or their designees; the Director of the Bureau of Narcotics; the Commissioner of Public Safety; the chief drug investigator for the Mississippi Department of Corrections; the Attorney General, or his designee; a designee of the Governor; the President of the Mississippi Sheriffs' Association or his designee; the President of the Mississippi Association of Chiefs of Police, or his designee; the President of the Mississippi Constables' Association, or his designee; and the Adjutant General of the Mississippi National Guard, or his designee.

(2) Within thirty (30) days after the passage of this resolution, on a day to be named by the President of the Senate, the task force shall meet and organize itself. A majority of the members of the task force shall constitute a quorum. All members shall be notified in writing of all meetings, such notices to be mailed at least five (5) days prior to the date of the meeting.

(3) Members of the task force who are not legislators, state officials or state employees shall be reimbursed from the Senate Contingent Expense Fund in accordance with Section 25-3-41, Mississippi Code of 1972, for mileage and actual expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. Legislative members of the task force shall be paid from the Senate Contingent Expense Fund in the same manner as provided for attendance at committee meetings when the Legislature is not in session; however, no per diem or expense for attending meetings of the task force will be paid to legislators while the Legislature is in session. Members of the task force who are state officials or state employees shall be reimbursed by their department or agency for mileage and actual expenses incurred in the performance of their duties in accordance with Section 25-3-41, Mississippi Code of 1972. No task force member may incur per diem, travel or other expenses unless previously authorized by vote, at a meeting of the task force, which action shall be recorded in the official minutes of the meeting.

(4) The task force shall utilize clerical and legal staff of the Senate. To effectuate the purposes of the task force any department, board or agency of the state or local government shall, at the request of the chairman of the task force, provide to the task force such facilities, assistance and data as will enable the task force to properly carry out its powers and duties.

(5) The task force shall present its findings to the Senate on or before December 15, 1997, by filing its report thereon with the Secretary of the Senate. The task force shall continue to function for two (2) additional years, and shall present its finding to the Senate annually on or before December 15, 1998, and December 15, 1999, after which the task force shall be dissolved.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to those state agencies and those associations which have members on the Senate Task Force on Drug Enforcement.